FarmVille dev accused of copyright infringement

Zynga is responsible for a host of popular Facebook apps, including FarmVille, CityVille and FrontierVille.

Farmville developer Zynga is being sued for using another developer's source code to build some of its popular titles, and not paying its dues. According to Patent Arcade, the charges include copyright infringement, violation of trade secrets and breach of written contract.

Developer SocialApps, responsible for myFarm, claims that it entered into a letter of agreement for Zynga to acquire intellectual rights to the myFarm source code in May 2009.

However, SocialApps says it hasn't seen any of the promised compensation or recognition after the code was shared, meaning that the casual gaming giant failed to honour its side of the deal.

SocialApps is seeking profits and gains from FarmVille, statutory and punitive damages, a permanent injunction and legal costs.

Zynga allegedly used the source code to help create Farmville, CityVille, FrontierVille and FishVille, which all form a part of its suite of popular Facebook games. SocialApps' myFarm was released in November 2008, with FarmVille following in June 2009.

Didn't the makers of Angry Birds also 'borrow' the physics engine they used and not credit the engine maker? There was a video of the engine guy confronting one of the Angry Birds guys at a small conference, hugely entertaining, will hunt it out later.

Also there was an almost identical app released on the app store to another, strange named game, can't remember it's name right now.

I think code theft is probably more prevalent than we know about.

added: can anyone recommend any games on Facebook, and I mean quality games not tedious sheep farming - but with maybe a great economic model that requires a bit of thought.

Originally Posted by levellerDidn't the makers of Angry Birds also 'borrow' the physics engine they used and not credit the engine maker? There was a video of the engine guy confronting one of the Angry Birds guys at a small conference, hugely entertaining, will hunt it out later.

Also there was an almost identical app released on the app store to another, strange named game, can't remember it's name right now.

I think code theft is probably more prevalent than we know about.

added: can anyone recommend any games on Facebook, and I mean quality games not tedious sheep farming - but with maybe a great economic model that requires a bit of thought.

Like I said, I really enjoyed the Assassins Creed game on there, yes its based on what most the games are like on Facebook already, but I enjoyed it due to the story on it.